What the Child Dental Benefits Schedule actually covers
What the Child Dental Benefits Schedule actually covers
A lot of families in Ashburton are entitled to have their children’s dental care bulk billed under Medicare and simply do not know it. The scheme is called the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
Who is eligible
Broadly: children aged 2 to 17 for at least one day of the calendar year, who are eligible for Medicare, and whose family receives Family Tax Benefit Part A or another qualifying payment.
You do not have to work it out yourself. Tell us at reception and we will check the child’s eligibility for you before any treatment starts, so there are no surprises.
What it covers
The benefit covers the everyday things: examinations, X-rays where clinically needed, cleaning, fissure sealants, fillings, root canals and extractions.
It does not cover orthodontics, cosmetic treatment, or anything done in hospital under general anaesthetic.
The cap, and the part people miss
There is a capped amount available per child over a two-calendar-year period. The part that catches people out is that the balance does not roll on indefinitely — unused benefit is lost at the end of the period.
If your child has an unused balance and it is late in the second year, that is a good reason to book the check-up now rather than in February.
We bulk bill it
Where a child is eligible and the treatment is covered, we bulk bill it. That means no gap to pay on the day for that treatment.
If something is needed that falls outside the scheme, we tell you before we do it, with a cost, so you can decide.
Bringing children in
The current amounts and eligibility rules are set by Services Australia and change from time to time, so check with us or with Medicare for the figure that applies today.
More on how we see children: children’s dentist in Ashburton.
Book a check-up
Aesthetic Mee Dental, Suite 2, 330 High St, Ashburton VIC 3147. Monday to Saturday, free on-site parking, same-day emergency appointments where we can.